Catamenial belt



y 1951 s. ROSEN 2,554,684

(:ATAMENIAL BELT Filed Feb. 16. 1950 Patented May 29 1951 UNITED STATES or ies Samuel Rosen, .Miami Beach',..;Fla., .assi'gnor'. of fifty per cent toMorris J. Berkson; .(lliicagmillll Application-February 116, 1950', SeiialfNb; 1141180 BxClaims; (Cl. 1-28-291l) My inventionrelates to improvementsinsanitary or catamenialbeltswhich'serve to support externally worn sanitary absorbent pads or the like conventionally worn during period of menstrual fiow.

Numerous types of sanitary belts have been suggested and marketed. Still commonly employed is one type whereinan elastic band encircles the body of the wearer and, depending from said" band, are clothsections to Whichthe ends of the sanitarypad are attached 'by'means of safety pins or the like. Another type which has more recentlycome-intouse is a construction which dispenses'with safety pin fastening means but, instead, uses a buckle arrangement. These and numerous other constructions are objectionable for a variety of reasons. Those which employ safetypins very often-cause char-- ing where they contact the skin and the same. is true of buckle constructions. Safety pins,- moreover, present a hazard due to the possibility-of their accidentally opening. Other objections-to these and other known constructions are recognized by the wearers but no fully satisfactory catamenial belt has heretofore been evolved:

In accordance 'With'my present invention, a new and materially improved sanitary or'catamenial belt. has been devised which is-exceed"- ing-ly simplein construction; inexpensivetamam' ufacture and which overcomes the objectionalzlle features which have heretofore characterized sanitarybelts, as pointed-out above. The sanitary belt of my inventionembodies anovel-construction wherein theuseofpins, buttons, clasps and all metal fastening or attaching-means are eliminated.

In general, sanitary -belt's of the present invention utilize, incombination with aband which is-adapted to encircle the wearer, front anclback loops of an elastic material in the form-of-a cord or narrow'ba-nd' or ribbon, the-twofree-ends of each of the loops bein attached'to theband. It is particularly advantageous't'o provide-front and back of diametrally opposed sections of fab-- ric or thelike carriedbythe band-and extending downwardly ashort distance -therefrom= a-nd to attach the freeends of the elastic loopsthereto.

The loops are adaptedtob'e manipulated by the fingers, in the manner hereafter described; to

form releasable knots f'or firmly securing= theends' of an absorbent sanitary pad. The closed-end "2'. with the Hoop-arrangement and the other-cooper-ating elements; is a an essential -part' of said novel-combination.

Referring, now, to the drawings, wherein a preferred, though illustrative; embodiment of "my invention is disclosed;

Fig. l is a perspectiveview of-a sanitary'belt made inaccordance with-my invehtionand-sliowing an -absorbent sanitary-pad: secured in-- position, the body of the wearer being omitted' 'for purposes of cl'arit'y;

Fig; 2 is an enlargedpartial' perspective view; showing only theiront -loop member and before the sameis manipulated bythe- 'fingers' to form theknot;

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 show the manner in'wl'ii-fcl'i the "loopis m-anipulated' to secure-an" end of the sanitary absorbent pad in locked position;

Fig. '7 is apartial perspectiveview-showing the way in which the k'not" is untied vwhen' it is desired te -release and remove the sanitary absorbent pad;

As shown-moreparticularly -in l igs. 1 and 2; the sanitary belt. of my invention comprisesa bandl-fl, preferably.madeof 'an -el-astic fabric; and adapted to encircle=-the= waist-of the wearer: Carried by the band at the fiont and re'ar parts and essentially im diametrally opposed relation to each other are apron sections or loop -att'aching: sections -l and lz, preferably made of-a-s-ubstantially inelastic fabric: lSihce*tlie sections l l and l Zandxtlieirassociated eIement'smay be and preferably are identical I shall describe in detail only section M which; ter-convenience;- may be referred teas thedront section. An elastic cord or narrow ribbon -15 of rl'ibberized' fabric or the parts may beutili'zed as; forexample; by fusion where thermoplastic materiais are utilized. At: the bottom of='--tl-i'e closed loop formed by-cordor' ribbon i3, .'I provide a releasing member or tab: or tassel 9:.preferably formed of-a fabric such=as nylon-rayon; or the like.

Referring, now." to Figsa Bto 6; inclusive,' w-ith=- the band It) encircling the waist of the wearer and the apron members H and I2 in front and rear positions, the loop is spread, preferably between the thumb and first finger as shown in Fig. 3, to provide a lower strand 2| and upwardly converging strands 22 and 23. Thereupon, the diverging strands are bent over the strand 2| whereby to form two individual loops, one, 24, encircling the thumb, and the other, 26, encircling the first finger. The loops 24 and, 26 are then disposed in superposed relation to each other and the thumb and first finger slipped out, an end 21 of the sanitary absorbent pad 28 is inserted through the superposed loops 24 and 26, and the strands 22 and 23, now in more or less vertical relation, are pulled upwards. This serves to form a knot which very firmly holds the pad end 21 against movement. The opposite or rear loop may then be operated in like manner to tie 354,684 3 ff T 4 er, the improvement which comprises front and rear substantially inelastic sections of fabric or the like carried by said band and extending downwardly a short distance therefrom, a loop of elastic cord or the like extending downwardly from each of said inelastic sections, each of said elastic loops being adapted to be manipulated by the fingers to form a releasable knot for firmly securing the ends of an absorbent sanitary pad, and a releasing member attached to the bottom of each of said elastic loops whereby, upon pulling said releasing member upwardly, the knot or knot the other end 29 of the sanitary absorbent I pad. This latter operation or manipulation may be done with the rear loop in rearward position. If this should, in any case, prove cumbersome, then the following alternative procedure may be followed. After the pad end 2! has been tied in front as described above, the waist band ll) may be swung around so that the previous rear portion is in front. The sanitary pad is then passed between the legs from the rear to the front and the other loop then manipulated as described from the front.

When it is desired to remove or replace the sanitary pad, this is readily achieved simply by pulling upwardly on each of the releasing members [9, as shown in Fig. '7, whereupon the knot is untied to permit the ends of the pads to be withdrawn.

It will be seen, in the light of the foregoing description, thatI have devised an exceedingly simple and inexpensive sanitary belt, which is safe to use, and which overcomes various of the objectionable features which have characterized previously known and used constructions. Sanitary belts made in accordance with my invention may be and most advantageously are made so as to be free of any metal parts. They are advantageously made of cotton, rayon, nylon or similar textile materials which may be washed and dried with a minimum expenditure of effort and time.

While the inventionhas been described in the form of a-particularly preferred embodiment, it should be understood that said description is by way of illustration and'is not limitative of the full scope of the inventionsince various of the details may be slightly modified without departing from the essential teachings contained herein. What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1'. In a sanitary belt of the type which includes a band adapted to encircle the waist of the wearer, the improvement which comprises front and rear apron members carried by said band and extending downwardly a short distance therefrom, a loop of elastic cord or the like extending downwardly from each of said apron members, each of said elastic cord loops being adapted to be manipulated by the fingers to form a releasable knot for-firmly securing the ends of an absorbent sanitary pad, and a releasing member attached to the bottom=of each of said elastic cord loops whereby, upon pulling said releasing member upwardly, the knot in said elastic loop is untied.

2. In a sanitary belt of the type which includes a band adapted to encircle the waist of the wearin said elastic loop is untied.

3. In a sanitary belt of the type which includes an elastic band adapted to encircle the waist of the wearer, the improvement which comprises diametrally opposed substantially inelastic sections of fabric or the like carried by said band and extending downwardly a short distance therefrom, a loop of elastic cord or the like extending downwardly from each of said inelastic sections, each of said elastic loops being adapted to be manipulated by the fingers to form a releasable knot for firmly securing the ends of an absorbent sanitary pad, and a releasing fabric member attached to the bottom of each of said elastic loops whereby, upon pulling said releasing member upwardly, the knot in said elastic loop is untied.

4. In a sanitary belt of the type which includes an elastic band adapted to encircle the waist of the wearer, the improvement which comprises front and rear substantially inelastic sections of fabric or the like carried by said band and extending downwardly a short distance therefrom, a loop of elastic cord or the like extending downwardly from each of said substantially inelastic sections, each of said elastic loops being adapted to be manipulated by the fingers to form two superposed closed loop sections which, in turn, are formed into a releasable knot for firmly securing the ends of an absobent sanitary pad, and a releasing fabric member attached to the bottom of each of said elastic loops whereby,

upon pulling said releasing member upwardly, the knot in said elastic loop is untied.

5. In a sanitary belt of the type which includes a band adapted to encircle the waist of the wearer, the improvement which comprises front and rear loops of elastic cord or the like extending downwardly from the band, each of said elastic cord loops being adapted to be manipulated by the fingers to form a releasable knot for firmly securing the ends of an absorbent sanitary pad, and a releasing member attached to the bottom of each of said elastic cord loops whereby, upon pulling said releasing member upwardly, the knot in said elastic loop is untied.

6. In a sanitary belt of the type which includes an elastic band adapted to encircle the waist of the wearer, the improvement which comprises front and rear loops of elastic cord or the likeextending downwardly from 'said band, each of said elastic loops being adapted to be manipulated by the fingers to form two superposed closed loop sections which, in turn, are formed into a releasable knot for firmly securing the ends of an absorbent sanitary pad, and a releasing fabric member attached to the bottom of each of said elastic loops whereby, upon pulling said releasing 

